Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. In the author’s note, Clay Cane frames this novel as an act of “literary opposition” against historical erasure. How did knowing this intention before you started reading shape your experience with the story?

2. How did this book’s exploration of trauma and resistance compare to other neo-slave narratives you may have read, such as Toni Morrison’s Beloved? What do you think Burn Down Master’s House adds to this literary genre?

3. What was your experience of reading a story told across multiple generations and from different characters’ perspectives? Were you drawn to particular plotlines and characters? Why?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The phrase “Don’t let them take what they can’t touch” is passed down through generations (16, 31, 168). What ideas, approaches or mottoes have been passed through the generations of your family, and how have they shaped your life experiences?

2. Different forms of resistance are shown in the book, from violent uprising to quiet acts of self-preservation. Think of a time when you engaged in a form of resistance or rebellion. How did you plan this, and did it have the desired effect? Why or why not?

3.The novel explores the significance of chosen family bonds and communities. What familial and social bonds have helped you, especially in times of hardship?

4. The book presents Charity Butler’s legal battle as an ultimate betrayal by a flawed justice system. In what ways have you experienced injustice, and how did you address this? Did it change your ways of thinking about power structures? In what ways?

5. The power of education and knowledge is an important idea in the novel. Think of a teacher or mentor from your own past who helped you understand this power. What about them made them so special to you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The Introduction positions the novel as a direct response to modern misinformation about American enslavement. In what ways do you see this book engaging with current debates about how history should be taught and remembered?

2. Examine the character of Nathaniel William, a Black man who profits from enslaving other Black people, by applying a post-colonial reading.

3. Consider the ways in which women’s experiences are portrayed in Burn Down Master’s House. How does this reflect contemporary ideas about gendered disadvantage?

4. How does the portrayal of Luke’s “mercy killing” of Miss Emily draw on modern debates around the ethics of end-of-life choices and management?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Fire is a central symbol in the novel. Use close linguistic analysis to illuminate how Clay creates this visual image and its cultural connotations.

2. The novel is structured as a chain of interconnected narratives spanning decades. How did this multi-generational approach affect your understanding of the story’s themes compared to a more linear narrative or even another generational epic like Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing?

3. What is the significance of the shift from the rebellion at Magnolia Row to the covert, strategic poisoning on the Baynard plantation? Why do you think these events were presented in this order?

4. Consider the types of resistance enacted by the female and male characters, respectively. How do they portray gendered power, privilege, and available choices?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Miss Clara Petterson helps Charity and her daughters seek freedom, but her motivations are complex. Write the letter she sends them containing directions to the safe house. What would it say? What style of language would she use?

2. Imagine a fifth chapter set after the end of the Civil War, during the Reconstruction era. Plan this chapter, considering how you will tie in the storylines and themes of the existing novel.

3. Design a cover image for the novel. Why have you chosen this image, and what does it represent?